Chinese to become biggest spenders as record numbers head overseas

China's overseas tourists are increasingly visiting not just the old favorites of Paris and London, but also Israel, Tahiti and the Maldives. The Chinese are on the verge of leapfrogging the Germans and Americans to become the nation whose tourists spend the most money overseas, as the idea of foreign travel captures the imagination of millions of newly affluent citizens in the world's most populous country.

The World Tourism Organization predicts that the number of overseas trips made by Chinese people will surge from 70m last year to 100m by the end of the decade, from just 5m 15 years ago.

Though they spend on average less than their western counterparts, the number of travelers means the total is high – and rising. China's travelers overseas spent $72bn last year, compared with $78bn for Germans and $75bn for the US. Officials say the first five months of 2012 saw a 20% increase in Chinese tourists leaving the country.

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